February
by Harmonde
Summary: 004's thoughts on Valentine's Day. Contains yaoi.


February  
by Strata  
  
I just got done watching the Cyborg 009 DVD, and the entire time I was thinking about all the slashy moments in the series. Or maybe my yaoi-crazed mind was just imagining them. Either way, that's a lot of yaoi. This is my first Cyborg 009 fic, so if the characters are a little off I apologize. This fic contains yaoi, so if you have a problem with that sort of thing, I suggest you leave.   
Summary: 004's thoughts on Valentine's Day.  
Disclaimer: I don't own Cyborg 009, but I wish I did. If I did, there would be a 002/009 make out scene in every episode. I need my yaoi, dammit!  
  
  
I hate February. Why? One simple reason: Valentine's Day.  
  
I never was too fond it, even when I was a child. Growing up, Valentine's Day always seemed stupid and a complete waste of time to me. I had better things to do than sigh over a sappy card or fawn over some girl.   
  
My mother always told me that when I had a girlfriend I would change my mind, but I didn't. February 14th still seemed like just another day. I didn't feel anything with the women I dated, not a single one. Oh, it's not like I didn't care about them. I did, but there was no connection. Nothing at all.   
  
Just when I was starting to think that I was gay, I met Hilda.  
  
Between our meeting and our first date, I was afraid that she was going to be like all the other women. But by the time I brought her back to her apartment, I thought otherwise. When I started looking forward to Valentine's Day, I knew for certain that Hilda was different from the rest.  
  
But ever since her death, I've grown to hate Valentine's Day. Every year, it's a reminder that she's dead and I'm alone. I always try not to think of her, but it's no use. You see, Valentine's Day is the anniversary of the day I asked Hilda to marry me.   
  
It's been three years since I awoke and found myself a cyborg, but the pain hasn't gone away. If anything, it's gotten worse. It's especially bad today, since it's Valentine's Day. After dinner I went to the deck of the house we rented in order to think. And that is where I am now. Left alone to think about Hilda, and how I will never be as happy as I once was. Any chance I had for true happiness died with Hilda.   
  
A shout and laughter from inside stopped my train of thought. I turned and saw Francoise chasing G.B. around the large table we'd eaten dinner at, while everyone else laughed. The sight of G.B. running for his life from the petite Frenchwoman made me smile for the first time all day. Being with my friends made the pain a little less unbearable. Sometimes, anyway.  
  
This year, I spent my Valentine's Day watching nearly everyone in the house flirt with Francoise. And judging by how G.B. was running from her, his latest attempt had been unsuccessful. I chuckled, turning my eyes back to the night sky and the stars.   
  
Our current safe house was in Hawaii. Being as how things had been slow with Black Ghost lately, we'd decided to take a vacation. So I guess the house was really more of a vacation home than a safe house.   
  
There was a couple walking hand in hand on the beach below. When I caught sight of long, spiky hair I knew that one of them had to be Jet. Thinking of the redheaded American and what had happened earlier made any good mood that I had vanish.   
  
This morning, Jet finally got up the nerve to tell Joe about his feelings for him. I was the only one who knew what Jet was planning to do, and I wondered how Joe was going to react. I got my answer when I found the two of them making out on the deck.   
  
I should have been happy for the two of them, but I only felt anger and regret. Anger because I was still alone, and regret for not acting on some feelings of my own. I had planned on making a confession of my own today, but making that confession now was about as likely as Dr. Gilmore becoming a stripper.  
  
About six months ago, something happened to me that I thought would never happen after Hilda died. I fell in love. And I had fallen for none other than Jet Link. I still don't know how I fell for HIM of all people, but I did. But the   
Last night was when Jet told me about his Valentine's Day plans. I should have seen it coming. I should have known that he would never feel anything for me beyond friendship. Jet has always been closest to Joe out of all of us, and they have much more in common with each other than with me.   
  
I just wanted to have a reason to celebrate Valentine's Day, to have someone to share it with. That's why I thought I could have a relationship with Jet, and why I was going to tell him everything.  
  
I heard him laugh at something Joe said, and I sighed. Another year alone, yippee.  
  
God, I hate February.  
  
The sliding glass door opened behind me, and I turned to see who it was.   
  
"Hello, 003."  
  
She came towards me with a smile on her face. "Albert, we've known each other for three years. I'd like it if you called me Francoise."  
  
She stopped and leaned on the railing beside me. We stood there in silence for a few moments before she spoke.  
  
"It's hard not having someone to share this day with, isn't it?"  
  
Her voice startled me, making me jump. "Uh...yeah. I mean, yes."  
  
Francoise laid her hand on my arm. "You've been restless all day. Is there something bothering you?"  
  
"No." Not something, but someone...  
  
"Oh." She fell silent again.  
  
I glanced over at her. "Did you come out here to escape from your many suitors?"  
  
She giggled. "Yes, I did need some peace and quiet. Everyone's so nice, but..."  
  
"But what?"  
  
"I'm not interested in any of them. Not like that."  
  
"None of them? Is there anyone you ARE interested in?"  
  
Francoise blushed so red I thought she'd faint. "N-no. Of course not." She shuffled her feet. "No one inside the house, anyway," she said sadly before looking out to the beach.  
  
I followed her gaze to where Jet and Joe stood, farther down than before. That was when I remembered how Francoise had always been attracted to Joe, but was too shy to act on her feelings. Now that Joe was with Jet, she finally knew what the rest of us had known all along: that Joe considered her to be like a sister, not a girlfriend.  
  
I put my arm around her shoulders and drew her close to me. "I know exactly how you feel," I said quietly. And I did. Just yesterday I had been madly in love with Jet. Now he was the last person I wanted to think about.  
  
She looked up at me with confusion written clearly on her face. "You do? But who...?" She saw where I was looking, or rather WHO I was looking at, and turned to me with an expression of surprise.  
  
"You and...Jet?"  
  
"I wish."  
  
Surprise turned to sympathy in her eyes, and it was my turn to be surprised when she hugged me.   
  
"I knew long ago that Joe and I would never be more than friends," she said. "But I couldn't accept it completely. I didn't want to let that dream of being with him go. I just held onto it until today. I have a different dream now."  
  
"What dream would that be?"  
  
"To just let things happen. I fell in love with Joe because I felt that I had to. He's saved my life countless times, and isn't that how it's supposed to go? A hero rescues the damsel in distress, they fall in love, and live happily ever after. I thought that they only way I could repay him for everything was to love him. And I can, just not the way I originally thought. I spent so much time hoping that he would feel the same for me, and I'm not going to make the same mistake twice. I'm not going love someone because I feel that I have to. I'm going to love someone because...well, just because. I'm going to let things happen to me." She leaned over and kissed my cheek.  
  
I felt my face turning red. "I-I've got to go," I stammered, starting to make my way inside.  
  
"Wait." She grabbed my hands and brushed her lips over mine. "Happy Valentine's Day, Albert."  
  
For a minute I was too stunned to do anything, but then I kissed her gently. "Happy Valentine's Day, Francoise."  
  
Valentine's Day still isn't my favorite holiday. But maybe, just maybe, it won't be so bad from now on.  
  
The End  
  
  
Damn, that took me forever to write. I thought that it would be very short, but then I kept thinking of things to add, one thing led to another, and I end up with this. This is what happens when I watch four straight hours of Cyborg 009. My brain feels like it's about to overload.   
Feedback would be most appreciated! Constructive feedback, anyway. Flames will be laughed at and ignored, you homophobic bastard, you.   
-Erica  



End file.
